


The Rosier Runaway: A Sirius Black Love Story

by kittythebutterfly



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Dark Academia, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Order of the Phoenix (Harry Potter), Pre-Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Pureblood Culture (Harry Potter), Pureblood Politics (Harry Potter), Pureblood Society (Harry Potter), Sirius Black & James Potter Friendship, Sirius Black In Love, Slow Burn, Young Sirius Black, angst even though i don't really know what that means but we'll figure it out as we go along
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-17 17:14:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28852650
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kittythebutterfly/pseuds/kittythebutterfly
Summary: 𝘼 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙀𝙧𝙖 Hogwarts story, that explores the darker side of the wizarding world, and follows two young people that reject their family's involvement in the increasingly popular dark magic group, the Death Eaters. Instead, they join their friends to protect the wizarding world, and turn to each other for support in finding the courage needed, and help with rejecting their family's expectations.❤𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚'𝙨 𝙛𝙖𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, a muggle, was killed alongside his entire family, by her mother's pureblood obsessed family. Her mother fled to Ireland to raise her by herself and taught her daughter about kindness, compassion, and, above all, the beauty of love. She gives Flo a necklace, a triskelion, to hold this love, through three spirals to be chosen what they represent. The first is family. The second is friends. And the third she is still searching for...and then she meets Sirius.❤'𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪, I'd prick myself with a thousand roses, and give every single flower to you. For you, I'd bleed myself dry. I'd part with anything for you, but you.'❤[also on wattpad]
Relationships: Alice Longbottom/Frank Longbottom, James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes, Sirius Black & Remus Lupin & Peter Pettigrew & James Potter, Sirius Black/Florence Rosier-Gleeson, Sirius Black/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	1. Prologue: Aurora Rosier, a tragic love story

**Author's Note:**

> Alright, so a few things before you start:
> 
> \- Aurora is Florence's mother, and the real 'Rosier Runaway', but Flo is still referred to as that.
> 
> \- I don't have any face claims, so just use your imagination. If you really need some, just use those ones on TikTok for Sirius and James (or just think of them as really hot, but Sirius as extra hot). I see Flo as similar to Amandla Stenberg, with long hair.
> 
> \- I do not align with J.K. Rowling's 'beliefs' about transgender people at all. Although she owns some of the characters and the world I am writing about, I can no longer respect her because of the blatantly transphobic views she holds. If you are unsure of what I'm talking about, or are still unsure where you stand with Ms. Rowling's TERF tendencies, here are some really great videos I used to inform myself, and I hope you can use too:
> 
> https://youtu.be/0jZJ0vttMpw
> 
> https://youtu.be/m-rh-N4eFDU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is the story of our main character, Flo's, mother. it's written in really long paragraphs kinda weird but it gets better i promise

'𝙾𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚊𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚐𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚏 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚗, 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚊𝚛𝚖𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚢 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎, 𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗.'

-𝙰𝚕𝚏𝚛𝚎𝚍, 𝙻𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝚃𝚎𝚗𝚗𝚢𝚜𝚘𝚗

.•° ✿ °•.

Aurora Rosier ran away from her pureblood obsessed family when she was just 16 years old, one year from graduating Hogwarts. She had always been the black sheep of the family, originally because she was the youngest by five years. But eventually, the most notable difference became her House. She was a Ravenclaw, and therefore was the only Non-Slytherin Rosier in over three decades, creating a divide between herself and the rest of her family. 

Over the years, that distance had caused her to get closer and closer to a local muggle boy, one Bradan Gleeson. He would tell her stories of his homeland, Ireland, and swore he would whisk her away one day and move back to his childhood town, Nenagh. They would have three children, two dogs, and enough chickens for morning eggs. She told him stories about her magical life and the wonders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He didn't exactly believe her at first, but when she turned a blade of grass into a rose, he discovered two things about Aurora Rosier. She was a talented witch, and she was the woman he loved.

When she came back home for the summer holidays between sixth and seventh year, she revealed to him that she was pregnant. Although unexpected, Bradan was unspeakably happy about being a father. Aurora knew that her family would not take it well, so they prepared to run away to Ireland. But the night they were supposed to leave, tragedy struck. 

He had not shown up for half an hour at the place where they planned to meet, so she snuck into the Gleeson household to find him. As she walked towards the front door, she saw, lying on the doorstep, the lifeless body of the love of her life. She knelt down a kissed his lips for the final time, as silent tears fell down her face. He bore no wounds, nor anything to convey the cause of his death. But she knew what had happened. 

She walked into the house to deliver the terrible news to the rest of his family. When no one answered, she searched the house. Bradan's father, mother, and two younger sisters lay dead in their beds. Aurora's family had clung to their blood status so much that the killed an innocent 17-year-old and his family to ensure it was maintained. She knew that the same fate awaited her unborn child, and possibly even herself, so she grabbed Bradan's bag that still hung over his shoulder, and fled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok... what do you guys think? I really hope y'all like it. I wanted there to be an extra layer to the story and for Flo and Sirius's relationship. The next chapter's gonna be about Flo's childhood, but I promise we're going to Hogwarts soon! 
> 
> <3


	2. Florence's Childhood

'𝚆𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚑 𝚜𝚘 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚒𝚏 𝚠𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚍 𝚗𝚘 𝚌𝚑𝚒𝚕𝚍𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚒𝚝' 

-𝙶𝚎𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎 𝙴𝚕𝚒𝚘𝚝

.•° ✿ °•.

Florence Gleeson-Rosier grew up in the Irish countryside, near her father's childhood home in Nenagh. She grew up hearing stories from her mother about him, and of Hogwarts. They had never been well-off. Aurora had always been too scared to take a magical job, for fear of her family, so instead, she worked as a barmaid.

With the help of a little magic, they lived a quiet but peaceful life. Aurora would go to work, Flo would go to school, and they would come back home to tell each other stories from the day over dinner.

At bedtime, they would read stories, then discuss Bradan, Hogwarts, and the Wizarding World, before falling asleep in each other's arms, on the bed that they shared. 

Flo wondered which of the four houses she would be in. Ravenclaw, for the wise and creative, Hufflepuff, for the kind and loyal, Slytherin, for the ambitious and cunning, or Gryffindor for the brave and courageous. 

Her mother had been put into Ravenclaw, so she wouldn't mind that. But her entire pureblood-crazed family had been put into Slytherin, and she didn't like the idea of sharing a bunk previously used by the murderers of her father. Her mother assured her that not all Slytherins were like her family, but it still didn't sit right with her.

•° ✿ °•.

Flo first displayed magical ability at the tender age of 6. At school one day, she discovered her mother had forgotten to pack her a snack for recess. So she walked over to a nearby apple tree, and picked up one to eat. 

Before she could though, her teacher noticed what she had done and told her, 'That's not healthy dear, it'll be bruised all over.'

But when the teacher checked the apple, it was completely untouched, and looked even more appetising than the ones hanging from the tree.

When Aurora found out what her daughter had done, she knew it was magic. She praised Flo for it, but reminded her to try to keep her magic hidden as well as she could. Flo was happy to oblige, and even happier over her mother's praise of her.

.•° ✿ °•.

When Flo's letter arrived, Aurora was nervous. She knew her siblings' children would be going there, and was worried for her daughter's safety. 

She tried convincing her to go to a nearby school in Tipperary, where an old witch taught basic spells to the children of parents who didn't want to send them all the way to England. But Florence had been dreaming of going to Hogwarts her whole life. And even at eleven, she was very persuasive. 

She told her mother that her grandparents wouldn't be there, and they must have been the ones to kill her father. She described the state of distress she would be in if she couldn't go. And finally, the thing that convinced her mother, she would need to know how to properly defend herself if anything were to happen.

.•° ✿ °•.

When Aurora described her plans to take a trip to England to the innkeepers who she worked for (conveniently leaving out the magical part), they knew she could hardly afford it, so they offered her the funds for the travel costs.

She refused it at first, but after much convincing, she admitted she needed the help. So with their own money, the innkeepers' money, and a pouch of Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts from Hogwarts, they set off to England.


	3. Travelling to Kings Cross

'𝙽𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚜 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛'

-𝚄𝚗𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚗

❤

Aurora and Flo arrived in London with two weeks to buy supplies. Florence agreed to stay in the Leaky Cauldron during the day, and they shopped in the evening, both to avoid the crowds, and to soothe Aurora's paranoia.

The day before they set off to King's Cross, Aurora gave her daughter a surprise present.

'An owl!' Flo exclaimed.

'A brown owl darl,' her mother replied.

'Thank you!' she said, but there was one thing on her mind. 'How did you afford it?'

'Well, make sure you give Mr. and Mrs. Teller a big hug when you come home for the holidays, because I couldn't have done it without their help.'

Flo ran into her mother's stomach, who pulled her into a long embrace. The young girl resolved to write the old innkeepers a long letter of thanks.

'Right, we've got to go to sleep.'

In the morning, they woke up, ate breakfast, and took the Knight Bus to King's Cross.

They travelled through the commuters, whose looks of confusion at their owl changed to wonder when they saw Aurora. 

The pink cardigan Flo had knitted for her when she was only 8, complimented Aurora's chocolate coloured skin. Her tightly coiled brown curls fell all the way to the jeans she had patched herself. But even with her homemade clothes, Flo's mother looked gorgeously elegant. 

When she was very young, Flo had questioned her about marraige. Her mother had come home very tired, and she had asked her why she didn't just find a rich man to marry, so she didn't have to work as a barmaid anymore. 

'They've tried darl.'

'So why don't you say yes?'

'Your father's the only man I've ever loved Flossie.' she said, smiling down on her young girl. 'And anyway, there's more to life than wealth.'

'What Mama?'

The young woman pulled her daughter in for a hug, and kissed her on the top of her head.

'Love.'

When Flo's mind finally came back to the platform, her mother had to stop her from crashing into the wall bearing a sign that read 'Number 8'.

'Wrong platform Floss' her mother said with a smile.

She followed her mother around the wall, and there it was. The wall she had heard so many bedtime stories about. She only had to run through it and it would be there. Platform 9 3/4.

'You ready?' Aurora said.

She looked up at her mother and took a deep breath.

'I think so.'

'Well don't think, just run!'

Laughing, they ran through the platform together, and right before the wall Flo closed her eyes, bracing for a crash, but they passed straight through. When she opened her eyes, she saw the large scarlett train, with smoke billowing from the top. A laugh escaped her mouth, and she turned to her mother to see her reaction, coming back to it after 11 years. 

But she did not look as she should have. Her smile was gone, leaving behind just a glint in her eye, but soon that faded too. Her eyes were focused on something behind Flo.

'Mama?'

Her mother pulled her in tight. And finally, she saw what was making her mother unhappy. 

The tall woman that looked over at them looked very similar to Aurora, but certain things were different. They were both beautiful, but this woman's looks were cold, and almost too perfect, as if carved from stone. Her elegance was not a natural grace like Aurora's, but more of a choreographed sophistication. The long curls that Aurora let fall free were pinned up into a tight bun on the other woman. Her face was more weary with age, and she looked to be in her early thirties.

'Calypso.' Flo's mother said, presumably as a greeting.

'So this is your bastard child?' the woman replied, almost immediately.

'My daughter is no bastard,' Aurora said, stepping forward.

Calypso came to meet her. 'You have no husband, do you not?'

'Only because of our parent's prejudice and intolerance. You have followed in their footsteps, I presume?'

'I would not call a desire for blood purity, 'intolerance'.' 

'Really? Because that's exactly what I would call it.' 

Aurora had kept herself calm throughout the encounter, but Calypso looked as if she was about to burst.

Right when the taller woman opened her mouth to reply, a young girl came over to speak to her.

She looked the spitting image of her, only smaller and less mature. Even the same cold smile was plastered on the girl's face. With a start, Florence realised that the girl before her looked to herself as Calypso looked to Aurora.

'Araminta.' Calypso said to her daughter. 'Come meet your-' The woman stopped herself with a look of disgust. 'My sister and her daughter.'

The smile faltered for only a moment, revealing a look of surprise, but it quickly came back.

'Araminta Rosier,' The young girl said, offering her hand.

Flo looked back at her mother, who nodded.

'Florence Gleeson,' she replied, taking her hand.

Araminta tilted her head in confusion, and Calypso smirked.

'You know they won't let you use that Muggle's surname.' She directed to Aurora.

'I've already written to Minerva.' she replied with a smile.

As Aurora steered her daughter and the trolley away, Calypso called out one more thing.

'I'm sure Fornax and his Felix and Evan will be delighted to see you both.' 

Aurora's eyes stormed, but she continued down the platform.

Before Flo could ask who Calypso had been referring to, her mother explain. 'Fornax is our- Calypso and I's- older brother has one born a year before I left, and I'm assuming Evan was born afterwards. '

Flo nodded. 'Who's Minerva?'

'The Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, and the Head of Gryffindor, darling.'

'Why did you write to her?'

'Do you remember that your letter was addressed to a 'Florence Rosier'?' Her mother took a moment for that to sink in.

The Rosiers were the reason she didn't have a father. The reason she didn't have paternal Aunts, or Grandparents.

.•° ✿ °•.

'𝙽𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚜 𝚖𝚞𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛'

-𝚄𝚗𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠𝚗

.•° ✿ °•.

Aurora and Flo arrived in London with two weeks to buy supplies. Florence agreed to stay in the Leaky Cauldron during the day, and they shopped in the evening, both to avoid the crowds, and to soothe Aurora's paranoia.

The day before they set off to King's Cross, Aurora gave her daughter a surprise present.

'An owl!' Flo exclaimed.

'A brown owl darl,' her mother replied.

'Thank you!' she said, but there was one thing on her mind. 'How did you afford it?'

'Well, make sure you give Mr. and Mrs. Teller a big hug when you come home for the holidays, because I couldn't have done it without their help.'

Flo ran into her mother's stomach, who pulled her into a long embrace. The young girl resolved to write the old innkeepers a long letter of thanks.

'Right, we've got to go to sleep.'

In the morning, they woke up, ate breakfast, and took the Knight Bus to King's Cross.

They travelled through the commuters, whose looks of confusion at their owl changed to wonder when they saw Aurora. 

The pink cardigan Flo had knitted for her when she was only 8, complimented Aurora's chocolate coloured skin. Her tightly coiled brown curls fell all the way to the jeans she had patched herself. But even with her homemade clothes, Flo's mother looked gorgeously elegant. 

.•° ✿ °•.

When she was very young, Flo had questioned her mother about marriage. Her mother had come home very tired, and she had asked her why she didn't just find a rich man to marry, so she didn't have to work as a barmaid anymore. 

'They've tried darl.'

'So why don't you say yes?'

'Your father's the only man I've ever wanted to marry Flossie.' she said, smiling down on her young girl. 'And anyway, there's more to life than wealth.'

'What Mama?'

The young woman pulled her daughter in for a hug, and kissed her on the top of her head.

'Love.'

.•° ✿ °•.

When Flo's mind finally came back to the platform, her mother had to stop her from crashing into the wall bearing a sign that read 'Number 8'.

'Wrong platform Floss' her mother said with a smile.

She followed her mother around the wall, and there it was. The wall she had heard so many bedtime stories about. She only had to run through it and it would be there. Platform 9 3/4.

'You ready?' Aurora said.

She looked up at her mother and took a deep breath.

'I think so.'

'Well don't think, just run!'

Laughing, they ran through the platform together, and right before the wall Flo closed her eyes, bracing for a crash, but they passed straight through. When she opened her eyes, she saw the large scarlett train, with smoke billowing from the top. A laugh escaped her mouth, and she turned to her mother to see her reaction, coming back to it after 11 years. 

But she did not look as she should have. Her smile was gone, leaving behind just a glint in her eye, but soon that faded too. Her eyes were focused on something behind Flo.

'Mama?'

Her mother pulled her in tight. And finally, she saw what was making her mother unhappy. 

The tall woman that looked over at them looked very similar to Aurora, but certain things were different. They were both beautiful, but this woman's looks were cold, and almost too perfect, as if carved from stone. Her elegance was not a natural grace like Aurora's, but more of a choreographed sophistication. The long curls that Aurora let fall free were pinned up into a tight bun on the other woman. Her face was more weary with age, and she looked to be in her early thirties.

'Calypso.' Flo's mother said bluntly.

'So this is your bastard child?' the woman replied, almost immediately.

'My daughter is no bastard,' Aurora said, stepping forward.

Calypso came to meet her. 'You have no husband, do you not?'

'Only because of our parent's prejudice and intolerance. You have followed in their footsteps, I presume?'

'I would not call a desire for blood purity, 'intolerance'.' 

'Really? Because that's exactly what I would call it.' 

Right when the taller woman opened her mouth to reply, a young girl came over to speak to her.

She looked the spitting image of her, only smaller and less mature. Even the same cold smile was plastered on the girl's face. With a start, Florence realised that the girl before her looked to herself as Calypso looked to Aurora.

'Araminta.' Calypso said to her daughter. 'Come meet your-' The woman stopped herself with a look of disgust. 'My sister and her daughter.'

The smile faltered for only a moment, revealing a look of surprise, but it quickly came back.

'Araminta Rosier,' The young girl said, offering her hand.

Flo looked back at her mother, who nodded.

'Florence Gleeson,' she replied, taking her hand.

Araminta tilted her head in confusion, and Calypso smirked.

'You know they won't let you use that Muggle's surname.' She directed to Aurora.

'I've already written to Minerva.' she replied with a smile.

As Aurora steered her daughter and the trolley away, Calypso called out one more thing.

'I'm sure Fornax and his Felix and Evan will be delighted to see you both.' 

Aurora's eyes stormed, but she continued down the platform.

Before Flo could ask who Calypso had been referring to, her mother explain. 'Fornax is our- Calypso and I's- older brother. Hes has one boy born a year before I left, and I'm assuming Evan was born afterward.'

Flo nodded. 'Who's Minerva?'

'The Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, and the Head of Gryffindor, darling.'

'Why did you write to her?'

'Do you remember that your letter was addressed to a 'Florence Rosier'?' Her mother took a moment for that to sink in.

The Rosiers were the reason she didn't have a father. The reason she didn't have paternal Aunts, or Grandparents.

She would not take the name of murderers. Murderers who insisted each member of their family had their last name, which gave both Aurora and her daughter satisfaction when they did not heed to it.

'Minerva's an old friend of mine, and I hoped she could help me sort out your name change. If that's what you want?'

'Of course Mama. How did you know her?'

'She was a year 7 when I was a year 1. She acted as my big sister, when my own siblings turned on me, for being sorted a Ravenclaw, and...other things.'

Flo had heard a lot of stories about her mother's school life, including her troubles with her siblings, but was surprised that she hadn't mentioned Minerva before.

It seemed as if her mother knew exactly what she was thinking, because she stopped, looked down at Flo, and said, 'As much as I love Minerva, I don't want you relying on older students for friendships alright?'

Flo nodded.

'You should have friends in the older years, but make sure to prioritise the bonds in your own year first.'

'Understood.' And finally, because she couldn't hold it in any longer, she started giggling.

'I'm serious Flo,' her mother said, but she had started laughing herself.

Her mother was only 28 years old, practically her older sister. It was strange hearing her give orders. 

'Come here you silly goose,' and Aurora pulled her daughter into a long, loving embrace. 'Don't get into too much trouble.'

'I won't.'

'And, I know I've already gotten you Aira.' Aurora said, gesturing to the owl sat atop Flo's luggage. 'But I have one more thing for you.'

Flo looked shocked. 'Something...else?'

Out of her cardigan pocket, she pulled a folded over blue piece of cloth.

'A handkerchief?' Flo asked, slightly confused.

'No silly, unfold it.'

Slowly, she opened the square of fabric, until she finally saw a glint of silver. 'A necklace!'

'Your father gave it to me.'

Florence looked up at her mother. 'Why would you give it to me?'

'He said it would always protect me. And it has. So now that you're going off by yourself, I want you to know I won't ever truly leave you, just like you're father has never truly left me.'

Flo's vision started to blur, so she hugged her mother to hide her tears.

'It's in the shape of a triskelion.' Her mother said from above her. 'It can represent many things, like the Holy Trinity, or the three realms of Earth, Sea, and Sky. But I want you to find three things that you find special, so you can always keep them close.'

Flo pulled away and saw that her mother had tears of her own falling onto her cheeks.

'One of them will be you.' she said.

'Me?'

'Yes. And Papa. My family.'

Aurora smiled. 'Thank you, Flossie.'

After one last kiss on the forehead, they placed Flo's things in the storage compartment, and she walked onto the train with only her day bag, containing her robes and a small pouch of money, in one hand, and her owl in the other.

'Goodbye Darling' her mother called out, as the train started to move.

Flo blew her a final kiss. 'Bye Mama'

'I love you.'

'I love you more.'


	4. The Hogwarts Express

'𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚎𝚢𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚠𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜, 𝚐𝚊𝚕𝚊𝚡𝚒𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚜. 𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚍𝚒𝚍 𝙸 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎?'

-𝙳𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚍 𝙹𝚘𝚗𝚎𝚜

.•° ✿ °•.

'Excuse me.' 

Flo turned from the small window at the side of the train, where she had been watching her mother on the platform. 

Two boys stood next to her, both around her age. One of them had very untidy brown hair, and a mischievous glint in his eye. The other, who Flo assumed had spoken, had darker hair that was almost black, and a splash of freckles on his tan face. His grey eyes matched his friend's glint of defiance.

Both of them were out of breath and looked as if they had just been running. 

'Oh,' Flo said. 'I'm sorry.' And she turned her back to them, walking along the corridor. 

'No worries.' a voice called behind her, and it sounded like the boys had followed.

As she looked around for a compartment with space, she said, 'Did you run to catch up with the train?'

'Yep,' she heard from behind her.

'We nearly missed it.' a different voice said.

Flo started to continue but realized that she had walked pass an empty compartment while talking.

The messy-haired boy was already inside, and the dark-haired boy held the door open for her.

'Care to join us?' he said.

'Oh.' Flo said, very eloquently. She did not think her mother would approve of her joining two boys in a compartment, especially on the first day of school. 'Um. No thank you.'

She turned around before she could see how the boy reacted, and continued along the corridor. 

.•° ✿ °•.

As she walked, she saw some carriages with space, but the students looked too old. There were some with girls her age, but she didn't want to bother anyone by squeezing in the minimal space. At one point she even saw her cousin, Araminta, sitting with some other mean-looking girls.

Finally, she found a compartment with only two passengers. As she slowly slid open the door, the other two young girls looked up.

'Hi,' she said, doing her best to hide her nerves. 'There wasn't much space anywhe-'

'Hello!' they said together, and both stood.

'I'm Alice Allen,' the girl on the left said. She was short and plump, with mousy brown hair, and a sunny smile. Flo could feel her own mouth curving upwards just looking at it.

The other girl was above average height, but next to Mary she looked like a giant. She looked Flo up and down and decided she was worth her time. 'Mary MacDonald.'

'I'm Florence Gleeson,' she said, holding out her hand. 

Alice looked at it, then pushed it aside, in favour of a long hug. 'I have a feeling we're going to be good friends Florence.'

Flo could feel tears close to the surface but quickly blinked them away when Alice finally pulled away. 'Please call me Flo, Florence feels way too formal.'

Alice sat down, and Mary held out her hand before Flo could open her arms for a second hug.

'I take it you're not as affectionate as Alice?' Flo said while shaking Mary's hand.

'Oh, no one is. Except maybe her mother.'

The three girls laughed, and began their conversation on an assortment of wonderful things. 

.•° ✿ °•.

Eventually, Alice asked Flo to take her spot near the window, because of her overwhelming motion sickness. Flo was happy to oblige, as she always adored having the window seat in any form of transport, because it helped her clear her mind and just think, or at least that was how she described it. Her mother said she just liked to daydream.

Before she sat down near the window, she realised she hadn't been to the bathroom in a while.

'I'll be right back,' she announced to the girls, and walked out of the compartment.

She started walking towards the bathroom she had seen across from where she entered the train. Flo got deep in her thoughts, and was so distracted that she nearly ran into another girl exiting her compartment.

'I'm so sorry, I wasn't paying attention,' she said hurriedly.

'Oh no worries,' the girl replied with a friendly smile, moving her dark red hair move from over one shoulder to down her back.

She started walking the opposite way, and a boy with long, oily, black hair quickly followed her, without a glance in her direction. Flo was so distracted watching his walk that resembled a spider so very much, that she didn't even realise the two boys from before were looking at her from inside the compartment.

The boy on the left's stormy eyes held her gaze, paralysing her, forcing her to keep his eye contact, if only for a moment.

Then, she gave them a small nod as a sign of acknowledgment, and continued on her way.

There was a small line for the lavatory, but soon enough, she was able to use the facilities.

She walked towards the door, but as she held out her hand to the door, it was quickly opened and someone walked into her, dropping what they held in their hands.

'Oh, dear. My apolog-' the girl started but looked up at Flo. It was the same girl she had walked into before.

'We keep walking into each other don't we?' Flo started to giggle, and bent down to help pick up her belongings, which ended up being robes. The girl joined in on her laughter.

'We do, don't we? Can I have your name so I know who to apologise to next time?' She stood up with the robes in her hands.

'Florence Gleeson, ready to be knocked over at your earliest convenience.' 

'Well Florence, I'm Lily Evans.' Lily smiled, and continued, 'Florence is a very elegant name.'

'Thank you, but most people don't call me by my full name. They usuall-.'

'Can I call you Flossie?'

Flo smiled. Her mother was the only one that called her that, but Lily was special. She could feel that she was a kindred spirit, and she knew her mother would approve. 'Of course.'

'Alright then Flossie, I'll talk to you later. I've got to get these robes on, or Sev will never forgive me.'

'Is he the boy with the black hair?'

'Yes, he hates his own clothes and insisted I put on my robes so he wouldn't be the only one so dreadfully early. Well, bye, then,' she said with a smile and a wave.

'Goodbye, Lily.'

On her way back, Flo kept her eyes forward the entire time, to keep herself from running anyone else over, and to not look at the boy with the grey eyes hair again.

'What took you so long?' Mary said when she walked in.

'I made a friend.'

Alice smiled. 'What's her name?'

'Lily, and walked into each other twice.'

They all laughed, and she described her short adventure. 

Afterward, Alice and Mary described their story before Hogwarts. They had gone to the same primary school, but were unaware that each other were magical. In fact, Mary was unaware she was magical altogether, because she was Muggle-born. When they saw each other on Platform 9 3/4, they were completely overjoyed, and very excited to be attending Hogwarts together.

'I still can't completely wrap my head around it. There are magical creatures just wandering around the countryside, and muggles just don't know about it?' Mary asked.

'It's a bit more complicated than that Mary.' As Alice explained the complexities of the Ministry of Magic, and the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, which her mother worked for, Flo began to daydream. 

The English countryside passed, and she let her imagination run with it. 

Flo thought of her mother, of the mattress they used for a bed, of the small schoolhouse she attended for years. 

She thought of her future, of the friendships she would make, of the magic she would learn. 

She looked around her, at the train her mother had used, and hundreds of students had used before her, and would use after her. 

She herself would use this train many times, more than she could count. 

She thought of the girls in the carriage, and wondered if she would be in the same house as them, and if not, who would she be with?

'Flo.'

'Hmm?' Flo away from the window.

'I was asking you about your family?'

'Oh I'm sorry, I just got lost in my thoughts.'

Both of the girls smiled.

'Clearly.' Mary said.

Starting small, Flo described her life in Ireland with her mother. She described the beautiful Irish countryside and the small cottage where she lived. Eventually, she warmed up, and. avoiding the difficult details, she described how her mother had fled there after her pure-blood family had disapproved of her muggle father.

She didn't know why she was telling the girls so much. Maybe it was because they had told her so much about their lives. Maybe it was because they had bought her some chocolate frogs from the trolley witch while she was gone. Or maybe it was because they had made her feel so...safe.

She looked at her friends' faces. Mary looked fascinated, and in awe that her mother had dealt with so much, and the harsh realities Flo had to face when she decided to risk her life by attending Hogwarts. But Alice looked shocked. It was as if she had just put together the pieces of a particularly nasty puzzle together.

'Flo, please do not take this the wrong way. I did not come up with this name, and neither did my family, it's only what I've heard. But, are you, by any chance, the Rosier Runaway?'

Flo smiled. 'Is that what they call me?'

Nervously, Alice nodded her head. Mary looked confused. 'The rosie what?'

Alice gave Flo a look, as if asking permission to explain.

'Go ahead. I didn't know I had a nickname myself.'

'Well...technically it's your mother's nickname. She's the one that 'ran away'. But among pure-blood families, the Rosiers are a pretty distinguished family. So when your mother...uh...moved to Ireland, it was a pretty big deal. They started calling her the 'Rosier Runaway'. As much as the Rosiers tried to cover it up, and did their best to hide the truth about what really happened, there was still a million different versions of the story of Aurora Rosier. And, as her daughter, you, neared Hogwarts age, they've started calling you it as well. I never knew they killed your father and his family though. There were rumors. Whispers. But the Rosiers said she left without your father, and that he was still alive. Hearing that the murders are true...that's horrible.'

Flo didn't know what to say. The Rosiers had killed her father. Her aunts. Her grandparents. But they had done their best to cover it up, and now it was just gossip for bored old rich people.

'I'm sorry.' Alice said, looking down. 'I didn't mean to-,'

'Don't worry.' Flo said, interrupting her. 'You've done nothing wrong.' Surprisingly, Flo knew that she meant it. She wanted to resent her, because of what her family and other pure-blood families gossiped about. But she knew that Alice was just repeating what she had heard what her family had told her. She seemed genuinely empathetic for what Flo had gone through.

Alice looked up and smiled at her. 'Can I have a hug?' 

Flo let out a small laugh, and nodded. They opened their arms and embraced.

She looked across at Mary. 'Come here you.'

Mary awkwardly joined in.

Underneath the both of them, Alice's whisper could barely be heard, but Flo managed. 

'This is nice.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Btw: Alice Allen is Neville's mother. 
> 
> thank you so much if you're reading this, ily.
> 
> <3


	5. The Sorting Ceremony

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you ever want me to check out your works just comment :)

'𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚎; 𝚊 𝚕𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚝𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏'

-𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚃𝚠𝚊𝚒𝚗

.•° ✿ °•.

'Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!'

A giant man with a tangled black beard, and similarly messy mane of hair, looked around the horde of students exiting the train. A small crowd of the youngest students was forming in front of him, marvelling at his height.

Flo looked back at her friends. They had gotten changed into their robes an hour before, and had left their bags and pets on the train. 

Alice looked nervous. As they walked towards the giant man, she kept stopping, as if she wanted to turn around and return to the train.

'What's wrong?' Flo asked gently.

She stopped altogether. 'What if I don't get into Hufflepuff?'

The older students around them looked annoyed at the disruption, but Flo and Mary walked back towards Alice.

'If you don't get into Hufflepuff?'Mary asked.

'Nothing,' Flo assured.

'But.' Alice's face fell. 'But my entire family's been in Hufflepuff.'

Mary voiced the words Flo thought but was hesitant to speak on. 'Who cares?'

Alice looked up. 'Who cares?' She looked angry. 'My entire family does. I do. If I don't then I'll be...I'll be...' Alice struggled to find the word. 'Different.' 

She fell into Flo's arms and started crying. 'Alice, I know how you feel.'

Alice leaned her head on Flo's shoulder, and took a shaky breath. 'You do?'

'Not personally, but, my mother.' 

Alice nodded.

'She told me what it was like for her in first year. She felt isolated, and alone. But then she found her friends. She realised that they were the only family she needed.'

Alice's breathing was becoming more steady.

'And Alice, your family isn't like my mother's. They sound kinder, and even though they might treat you differently in the beginning, I have a feeling that they'll realise it's still the same kind, wonderful, Alice as before.'

Alice's tears had stopped. 

'And anyway,' Mary said. 'We haven't even been sorted yet.'

The girls started giggling, but quickly stopped when the boy walked over. He had soft brown hair swept to one side, and looked older than them, but not by much.

'Excuse me miss,' he directed at Alice. 'Are you alright?'

Alice looked stunned. She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. 

Flo smiled at her, and nodded her head, but Alice gave her a pleading look in return.

'She's better now, thank you.'

The boy nodded. 'If you ever need anything, just tell me. I'm Frank.'

Finally, Alice was able to muster a word. 'Alice.

Frank smiled and walked away.

'Oh my god.' Alice's mouth hung open.

'Alice Allen, you flirt,' said Mary, and lightly hit her arm.

The girls walked over to the large man.

They waited a minute longer, until there were only older students left on the platform, talking amongst themselves.

'E'ryone here? Right, follow me. Mind yer step now.'

The large man led them through a steep, narrow path, with thick trees on either side. Flo nearly slipped twice, and all around her other first years were stumbling their way down the path, only opening their mouths to cry out when they fell.

'Yeh'll get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec,' the man called over his shoulder. 'Jus' round this bend here.'

As they turned the corner, there was a loud 'Oooooh!' from all around.

A large castle, surrounded by mountains, stood atop one at the other end of the lake. Warm light poured through its many windows, from the towers and turrets all around it. Twinkling stars shone down from the night sky above, surrounding the silver moon, that reflected onto the lake below.

It was an ethereal scene. The students stood, breathless.

'No more 'n four to a boat.' Flo started at the sound of the man's voice.

Alice, Mary, and Flo got into a boat together. Flo looked around for Lily, but she was in a boat with the boy she had called 'Sev', and two other students she didn't know. Next to them, the boys from before, along with two others were chatting amongst themselves, and looked as if the black-hair boy was saying something hilarious.

A small blonde girl walked over to them and asked if she could join their boat. They helped her in and introduced themselves. She was very quiet, but they got her name.

'I'm Julie.'

'Everyone in?' The large man, who had a boat to himself, called to the students behind him. 'Right then- FORWARD!'

The girls talked for the rest of the boat ride, but also stared at the sight before them, stunned and excited.

At the other side of the little fleet, Flo could see the boys calling out to the boat next to them. They started splashing Lily's friend with water. Flo felt a pang of sympathy for him, until he reached out and attempted to capsize the other boys' boat.

As the boats neared the cliff, the man looked over his shoulder and called, 'Keep your heads down.'

They bent their heads down and the little boats carried them through a wide opening in the cliff face, hidden by a curtain of ivy. They travelled through a dark tunnel.

'Do you think... we're right underneath the castle?' Flo whispered in the dark.

'I think so,' Mary replied.

They didn't speak for the rest of the trip.

Soon enough, they reached a kind of underground harbour. They clambered out onto rocks and pebbles, then climbed up a passageway in the rock, up to some smooth, damp grass in the shadow of the castle. 

They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front doors. 'Everyone here?' the large man asked. The students looked around but didn't say anything. Then, the man raised a huge fist and knocked three times on the castle door. 

It swung open immediately. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a stern face, and Flo knew this was not a witch to cross without consequences.

'Here's the firs'-years, Professor McGonagall,' the man told her.

McGonagall. Her mother's friend. Flo wondered if she had always looked that stern, even as a child.

'Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here.'

Hagrid pushed the door open wide, then waved goodbye to the children. Most of them waved back.

They followed Professor McGonagall into the Entrance Hall, looking around in awe. It was huge, with a ceiling so high it was hard to see the whole thing. They walked across the flagged stone floor, lit by the flaming torches hanging on the stone walls.

Flo heard the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right, but McGonagall led them past it and into a small chamber off the hall. They crowded in and were forced to stand much closer than they usually would. 

'Welcome to Hogwarts,' Professor McGonagall said. 'The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses.'

McGonagall continued to explain the importance of the Sorting, and the Houses. The students tried to pay attention to her, but it was difficult due to their nerves. 

Flo looked around at her newly-made friends. Would she be in the same house as them?

Finally, 'The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.' 

McGonagall's eyes lingered two boys who whispering to themselves. They quickly stopped talking and looked up innocently at her. With a start, Flo realised it was the same boys from the train.

The boy with the black hair turned to his friend and smiled, a mischievous glint in his eye. He brought his hand up to his face, and ran his thumb along his jawline. He chuckled as his friend told him a joke, then looked up. 

His grey eyes burned into hers.

'Flo?'

Florence broke eye contact with the boy to face Mary.

'Mmm?'

'McGonagall's gone. But you were staring.' Mary said, with a smirk on her face.

'I was not!'

'Were too.'

'Flossie!' Lily interrupted their bickering with a laugh.

'Lily!' she threw her arms around the girl. 'This is Mary. And Alice.' She gestured at each of the girls.

'Lovely to meet you both.' She smiled at the girls, and then put her hand on the shoulder of the long haired boy next to her.

Flo had expected him to recoil, based on the uninviting expression on his face, but instead, his expression softened.

'This is Severus.'

'Nice to meet you Severus.'

He nodded without a word.

The girls chatted for a few minutes, but Severus stayed silent.

'What house do you think you'll be in?' Flo asked.

Lily looked at Severus nervously, who frowned.

'Uhh,' Lily searched for a reply.

Flo could tell this was a sore subject, so she started to change the subject, when several people around the, including Alice, screamed. 

'What the-,'

She gasped, along with most of the other students. About twenty ghosts had streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to each other and hardly glancing at the first-years.

As quickly as they had arrived, they left, floating through the opposite wall.

At that moment, Professor McGonagall returned.

'The Sorting Ceremony is about to begin. Now, form a line, and follow me.'

The students rushed into single-file, tittering amongst themselves, practically jumping with nerves.

They walked out of the chamber,back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.

It was wonderful.

It was marvelous.

It was magical.

Flo turned her head so much she started to feel dizzy. Thousands of candles floated above them, underneath a night sky, with millions of twinkling stars. It seemed as there was no ceiling at all, but her mother had told her that it was bewitched so it mimicked the sky outside.

Four long tables, laid with glittering golden plates and goblets, sat in rows. A table in the back of the Hall stood on an elevated ground, so the staff could observe each table. 

Flo looked into the eyes of the passing starers, until finally, they stopped. Professor McGonagall silently placed a stool in front of the first-years. 

They spread out to get a better look at it, and atop of it, she placed a pointed wizard's hat. It was patched, frayed, and dirty, and looked extremely old.

The first-years waited for something to happen, confused why none of the teachers on the table in front of them said anything.

It twitched.

The students started to whisper.

A rip near the brim opened wide, like a mouth, and as the first-years gasped, it began to sing.

[i might eventually write my own Sorting Hat song, but we'll see.]

Oh you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your black,  
Your sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.

You might belong in ,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in ,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old ,  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means  
To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap

The whole Hall burst into applause when it was finished. It bowed five times, one for each House table, then to the staff table behind it, then became quite still again.

But Flo was worried. Was she cunning? Or wise? Maybe loyal? Brave? She wasn't sure.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward, a long roll of parchment in her hand.

'When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted.'

Alice was beginning to look quite sick. Flo took her hand. 

'Abbott, Julia.'

The small blonde girl from on their boat before walked up to the stool, and placed the hat atop her head. It fell right down over her eyes. 

A moment's pause.

'HUFFLEPUFF!' shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered as Julie went to sit at the Hufflepuff table.

'Allen, Alice.'

Alice looked at Flo. Flo squeezed her hand. 

'You'll be fine.'

She nodded silently, then gulped.

She walked up to the stool slowly, in no hurry to be sorted.

She placed the hat on her head, and sunk onto the stool, closing her eyes.

A minute, two minutes later. They waited. 

Finally, the hat's rip opened. 

'GRYFFINDOR!'

The Gryffindor table roared as their first student of the year walked over to them.

But Alice looked terrified.

Flo caught her eye.

She smiled at her.

Alice took a deep breath, then walked over to her House table.

As 'Avery, Logan', was sorted into Slytherin, Flo started to whisper to Mary.

'Black, Sirius.'

She stopped

The boy from the train started walking forward. He was smiling, but eyes looked worried. As he made his way to the stool, girls smiled when he walked past them, and giggled when he looked at them.

Sirius Black. Flo tasted the name. It felt natural, and elegant.

He sat on the stool, then placed the hat on his head.

Flo started counting.

The boy's expression was unreadable. Sometimes he looked worried. Sometimes jubilant.

At twenty-one seconds, the hat's rip opened.

'GRYFFINDOR'

The boy, Sirius, opened his eyes. He looked around the faces in front of him. For a second, they rested on Flo, but a moment later he looked away. 

The table on the far right cheered as he walked over to it.

And the night continued.

Lily was put in Gryffindor. When she took the hat off her head, she searched for Severus, and gave him a sad smile as she walked to the table.

Flo waited for 'G' surnames, but she wasn't called. She was worried, but had a sneaking suspicion why 'Gleeson' wasn't called.

The other boy from the train, 'Potter, James', was also a Gryffindor.

So was Mary, who squeezed Flo's hand, her first sign of affection, before being sorted.

It became clear to Flo what house her bias wanted. But she didn't want a bias. She wanted to be sorted in the right house.

As more students were sorted, and the list neared the end, Flo became worried herself.

Either she wasn't on the roll, which would be mortifying, or they had gotten her surname wrong and had instead used... used a different one. She didn't know which would be worse.

'Rosier, Araminta'

Flo's cousin walked up to the stool. She placed the hat on her head, but before she could sit down, it shouted

'SLYTHERIN!'

Flo smiled to herself. Of course.

'Rosier, Florence'

Rosier. She was a Rosier. She was part of the family that killed her father.

'So what?' a little voice in her head said. 'So is your mother. And she didn't kill him. She loved him.'

Flo focused on putting one foot in front of the other, and picked up the hat. She sat down, and placed in on her head. 

A small voice in her head began to speak. 'Two Rosiers in one year, eh? Would you like to go with your cousin?'

'I'm not a Rosier,' she thought. 'I am a Gleeson.'

'I take that as a no then.'

'Well...I wouldn't mind. Mama says that not all Slytherins are like...them.'

'Hmm...that's not something a Slytherin would say. What about Ravenclaw? Your mother was there.'

Flo wasn't sure. She liked the idea of being where her mother had been, and from her mother's stories she knew that the Ravenclaw dormitory was very beautiful.

But she wondered if it was just that. She only liked the idea of being in Ravenclaw.

She opened her eyes, just for a moment, and met the gaze of the boy from the train, Sirius, sitting at the Gryffindor table.

She closed them once more.

'I want to be brave.'

'For that boy?'

'No! I want to be brave, to protect my Mama. And to make sure that what happened to my Father and his family, doesn't happen to anybody else.'

Before had explained it, Flo hadn't realised how much she cared about it. But now that she had, she knew it was the right thing to do.

'I see. Not just for a boy. Well then. Better be... GRYFFINDOR!' 

The last word was said aloud. The house table roared as she walked over to them.

There wasn't much room on the end of the table, but, discreetly, Sirius had shifted his weight so that there was space between him and Lily.

As she sat down, she avoided his gaze, and instead turned to Lily.

'Hello!'

'Hi.'

They smiled at each other, but Lily's face looked pained. 

'Are you alright?'

'Umm...' She looked back at the stool.

'Snape, Severus.'

He walked towards the stool, once again reminding Flo of a spider, and placed the hat on his head.

He sat only the stool for a few seconds only, when it shouted, 'SLYTHERIN!'

'No.' Lily's breathing started to speed up. 'No, no, no.'

'Lil?'

She looked up to meet Flo's eyes. Tears started to form in her eyes.

'You'll be alright.'

Lily slumped onto Flo's chest, so she wrapped her arms around the crying girl.

'You'll still be able to see him. Houses aren't that big of a deal.' Flo placed her chin on top of Lily's dark red hair.

Lily sniffled. 'You're- you're right.' She sat back up. 'Sorry, I'm being overdramatic.'

'No need to apologise. And if you ever need someone to be overdramatic to, I'm your girl.'

Lily let out a small chuckle, and leant in for a proper hug.

'I'll remember that.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M SORRY FOR MAKING AN ELEVEN YEAR OLD SEEM HOT. PLEASE BURN ME AT THE STAKE.
> 
> anyways.
> 
> thank you to everyone and anyone who has followed, commented, voted, or all three. it really means the world to me that others appreciate this. 
> 
> i know i always say this, but if you're reading this, ily. 
> 
> <3


	6. Gryffindor Common Room

'𝙳𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚛𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛 𝚑𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚌 𝚜𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚔 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚕𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚠𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚘𝚞𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚗𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚢?

-𝚃𝚢𝚕𝚎𝚛 𝙺𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚝 𝙶𝚛𝚎𝚐𝚜𝚘𝚗

.•° ✿ °•.

'Welcome, new students and old, to a new year at Hogwarts.'

The students looked up from their many conversations, eager for the food to arrive. The Headmaster's eyes twinkled around the crowd, before beginning again.

'Before we begin our feast, I have to have a word with our new students, but you old folk are welcome to listen as well.'

The first years looked around among themselves, nervous for what they were about to be told, but the older students groaned.

'Now, now, I promise it really will be just a word.' The Headmaster, Dumbledore, Flo remembered her mother telling her, cleared his throat.

'Be. Thank you.'

He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. A few of the first-years started to laugh, but quickly stopped once they realised they were a small minority.

Lily and Flo smiled at each other. Then they looked down at the plates, which were now piled with food.

'Well, dig in I guess.' Mary said from across the table.

The girls 'dug in', only pausing to chat occasionally, with the boys next to them joining in on the conversation as well. 

'Rosier, are you?' Sirius asked from next to her. Flo quickly swallowed a bite of potato. 

'I prefer Gleeson, but yes.'

'You must be the first Rosier not in Slytherin in...'

'Eleven years.'

Sirius brows knit.

'My mother, she's a Ravenclaw.'

'...Uh-huh.' Sirius looked like he was piecing together a mental puzzle.

'And your father?' The other boy, James, said from across the table.

'He's- he was- a muggle.'

'Oh.'

'I'm sorry,' Sirius said. 'You too, right James?'

The boy on the other side of the table jolted, as if he had been kicked underneath the table. He glared at Sirius, and Flo wondered if he had been. 'Of course I am.'

Flo poked another piece of potato with her fork. 'I never understood why people said that. It's not like its your fault. The only people that should be apologising are-.' Flo quickly stopped herself, then blushed. 'Anyways.'

'I like your accent,' Sirius said. 'Irish is it?'

'Yeah. But my Mum's French-English, so it's kinda mixed.' 

Sirius looked as if his mental puzzle had been completed, but only nodded. James was less subtle.

'Are you the Rosier Runaway?' he exclaimed. At that exact moment, the entire Great Hall became deathly silent. Faces turned their way from all directions.

James sunk lower in his seat, his face burning red. 'Sorry,' he whispered.

Slowly, the students turned away and Hall began to speak again.

'Another thing I don't understand. Why do I get called the Rosier Runaway? It's not like I did any of the running.'

The boys chuckled. 'Just a name I guess.' Sirius said.

'Well, you must be the first Black not in Slytherin in...'

'Forever, to my knowledge,' Sirius replied, rolling his eyes. 'But they're not all pricks,'

'Of course not. Just most of them,' said James

Sirius let out a chuckle, and Flo smiled.

'My cousins aren't too bad, besides Bella,'

'What years are they in?'

'Bella's in 7th, thank god, because the sooner she's gone the better. Andy's in 5th, and she's my favourite. I reckon she'd marry a full-on muggle just to spite Aunt and Uncle. And Cissy's in 3rd. She's not bad, but she's too shy to push back on the whole 'blood purity' thing.'

'And you're not?"

Sirius looked offended. 'Of course!'

'Your parents must love that,' Flo said, smiling.

Sirius's mouth tightened, so she decided to change the subject.

'I've got cousins of my own to deal with.'

'Oh?'

'Araminta, whose in our year. She seems...interesting. And Felix and Evan, who I've never met, but I know that Felix is in the year above us, and Evan younger, but I don't know by how much.'

'Ah yes, I've met them a couple of times. Evan is the same age as my younger brother, Reg. They'll be coming to Hogwarts next year. And Araminta has a much younger sister as well.'

'You know more about my family than I do!'

Sirius gave her a small smile. 'Unwillingly, I assure you.'

She laughed. While they had been talking, James has started a conversation with two other boys. Flo recognised them as the other two on their boat.

The boy next to James turned to her. He had sandy coloured hair, freckles, and warm brown eyes. He was quite handsome, but Flo could not help noticing the long scar that ran from the right side of his forehead to his left cheek. 'Hi. I'm Remus.'

'Hello, Rumus. I'm Florence, but most people call me-'

'Flo!'

The girl bearing the name turned. 'Yes, Mary?'

'Oh sorry,' She said, now aware of the four boys looking her way. Mary shrugged. 'Could you pass me the Yorkshire pudding?'

'Sure.' As she went to pick up the dish, she brushed hands with the boy next to her, his stormy grey eyes matching the electric shock that went through her. She looked at her hand, then his eyes, then back to the dish.

'Here you go.'

She was introduced to the last boy, Peter, a small, mousy haired boy with a pointed nose. 

'Lovely to meet you all. Now I must return to the girls.'

She turned back around, trying to shake herself of the memory of Sirius's touch. It ran through her body like the electric shock itself.

'Enjoying talking to the boys Flossie?' Lily's eyebrows were raised, a small smirk on her face.

'Maybe.'

'Just be careful around those two. They were quite rude to Sev and I on the train.'

'They were?'

Lily nodded gravely.

Flo turned back around to look at Sirius. Now, his winning smile looked more like a smirk.

'Alright then. Now, what are you girls talking about?'

'Just getting to know each other more. Alice's a little worried about not being in Hufflepuff.'

The girl down at her fidgeting hands, unable to meet Flo's gaze. She had quite the stare for so young a girl.

'Alice.'

'Florence.' When Alice finally looked up, she was surprised to see a small smile on her friend's face. 'Are you laughing at me?'

'Of course not! But you must not worry yourself. For one, you've got your very best friend, Mary MacDonald.'

Mary smiled at Alice, and, to everyone's surprise, especially Mary herself, she took her best friend's hand.

'Who, although is only affectionate at the rarest of times, will always be there for you. And secondly, you've got me and Lil for a hug whenever you need it.'

Lily held up a finger. 'I'm afraid you'll have to count me out on the hugging.'

'Yes!' Mary said, holding up her hand.

As Lily reached across the table to high-five her friend, the other two girls rolled their eyes.

'For the love of Godric,' Flo exclaimed.

'There's two of them,' Mary groaned.

'Well, then Ms. Evans. What do you bring to the table?' Flo chuckled, knowing her friend would have a smart remark.

Lily smiled. 'Quick wit, and a fiery temper.'

.•° ✿ °•.

An hour later, after they had eaten dessert and sang the school song, they were walked up to their common room.

It was a cozy, round room. The colours were warm and inviting. Flo had the urge the fall into one of the many mismatched squashy armchairs.

But before she could, the female prefect held up her hand. 'This way girls.'

As they walked up the winding spiral staircase, Flo began to talk to the prefect.

'Hello.'

The older student looked down, surprised. 'Hi.'

'I'm Flo.'

'Nice to meet you Flo. I'm Veronica.'

'Nice to meet you too. What year are you in?'

'I'm in fifth year.'

'So you're...15! Holy moly.'

'Do you think that's old?' Veronica said gently, smiling down at the younger girl.

'Yeah!'

'Tell that to McGonagall.'

Flo knit her brows and frowned, confused at what that meant, but Veronica interrupted her thoughts.

'Alright girls. Through this door. Your stuff's already been brought up. The bathroom's just to the left, so just get changed, brush your teeth, and go to sleep.'

The four girls filed into the dormitory.

They were too tired to talk much. Flo got ready for bed, then fed her owl, Aira.

A few minutes later, they each climbed in to each of their beds. 'Goodnight,' Flo said, yawning. 

'Night.'

'G'night.'

'Nighty-night.'

Flo lay in her bed, thinking of the day that was coming to a close, and of the days that were to come.

She thought of her mother, and her father, and of the love they shared. She remembered her necklace and pulled it out. The silver spirals glinted in the moonlight. One was for family. But what would the other two represent?

'Friendship,' she whispered to the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> age reveal through veronica lol.
> 
> <3


	7. Potions

'𝙵𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚒𝚗. 𝙸𝚝'𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚘𝚕. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗'𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚘𝚏 𝚏𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚙, 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗'𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐.' 

-𝙼𝚞𝚑𝚊𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚍 𝙰𝚕𝚒

.•° ✿ °•.

'Alright, we've got Potions first with the Slytherins, then Herbology with the Hufflepuffs, and Charms with the Ravenclaws before lunch,' Lily read off her timetable, her friends around her struggling to listen and shovel down breakfast at the same time. 'Then Defence Against the Dark Arts- gosh that's a long name- with the Hufflepuffs, Transfiguration with the Ravenclaws, and Flying with the Slytherins last.'

'Flying?' Mary asked.

Lilly shrugged.

Alice shuddered.

'On a broomstick,' Flo provided for the Muggle-borns.

'Are those our only subjects?' Mary questioned.

'Nope. We've got History of Magic instead of Flying last on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, with the Ravenclaws. As well as Astronomy with the Slytherins on Wednesday nights.' Lily put her timetable down.

'I'm so excited for Herbology.' Alice said. 'I know it's got the reputation of being useless, but it is very important!' Alice looked around at her fellow Gryffindors, daring them to say differently.

Mary patted her back. 'Of course Al.'

Alice smiled at her best friend.

Flo swallowed down her scrambled eggs. 'Especially if you want to be a Healer,'

'Exactly!' Alice said triumphantly. 'And Healers are very important.'

Lily, uncomfortable with having nothing else of value to add to the conversation, only nodded.

.•° ✿ °•.

'Alright children, settle down, settle down.'

The man that had walked in was wide of waist, balding, and had a welcoming smile that put the young students at ease. 'I am Professor Slughorn. Thank you for setting yourselves up so quickly! Now, I have never been one for convention, so we will not be calling the roll normally today! Instead, when I call your name, stand up and tell the class something about yourself.'

The students looked amongst themselves, confused why a professor would be so interested in the affairs of his students.

The teacher sat at his desk, and looked down at the roll in front of him.

'Alice Allen,' Professor Slughorn said, looking up good-naturedly.

Alice started sinking below her desk, but Mary whispered something in her ear, which made her sit up straight. Slowly, she pushed her chair back and stood.

'I...,' Alice looked around the room at all the expectant faces. She caught Flo's eye, who nodded encouragingly. Alice cleared her throat.

'I play the piano.'

'Wonderful my dear.' Slughorn said as Alice fell back into her chair as quickly as she could. 'But the Allens are typically in Hufflepuff, are they not?'

Alice stood back up, and looked down at her fidgeting hands. 'Yes sir,' she said quietly.

'Oh, it is nothing to be ashamed of!' Slughorn exclaimed. 'In fact, in my experience, those that break a family's house tradition are usually those that leave the largest impact on history!'

Alice looked back up and beamed.

'Logan Avery'

Logan said something about wizard's chess, but Flo wasn't really paying attention, thanks to a certain girl next to her, and a certain boy behind her.

'Evans.'

Lily huffed.

'Evans.'

She studied the stone wall in front of her in great detail.

'Evans.'

Just as she was about to break, Flo whipped around for her. 'Will you shu--,' She began to chide James Potter, but Professor Slughorn interrupted her.

'Sirius Black.'

The boy in the seat directly behind her, stood up, looked back down at her and winked, and then asked 'Sir?'

Flo stared at him in shock. 'The nerve,' she whispered.

'Something about yourself Mr. Black,' but the boy in question was too busy chuckling to himself at the girl's whisper, to hear his teacher.

'Sorry sir, it's Ms. Rosier's fault, she's trying to distract me.' Sirius winked at 'Ms Rosier's' indignation.

Professor Slughorn sighed. He had seen this enough, the constant teasing between those of the opposite sex, and sometimes the same, for the sole purpose of provoking them, in order to get their attention. He didn't get paid enough for this.

'Please Mr. Black, pay attention. A favourite pastime perhaps?'

'Hmmm...disappointing my parents,' Sirius said, keeping his eyes locked with Flo's.

'Excuse me?' Slughorn exclaimed, unsure if he had heard him correctly.

'I enjoy disappointing my parents,' Sirius repeated, this time looking up at his teacher.

Flo suddenly realised that she had been staring, her mouth open in shock, for quite a long time, so she quickly turned around and composed herself.

'Ah yes,' her teacher said after doing the same. 'The first Black in Gryffindor ever I presume. Well, you heard what I said to Ms. Allen.'

Flo could hear the smile in his voice. 'I didn't, actually Professor.'

Slughorn coughed. 'Well, you should have been paying attention. You will have to ask one of your classmates.'

When the Professor had continued to the next student, he whispered to Flo again.

'Oi, Rosier.'

Ignoring Black's use of the name Rosier, Flo kept her eyes facing forward and said, 'What.'

'What did Slughorn say to Allen?'

'Why don't you ask Potter?'

'You think I know?' Potter whispered.

'And anyway,' Black smiled, the mischievous glint in his eye shining brighter, 'I wanted to hear you say it.'

Rolling her eyes, she finally faced him. 'Sorry to disappoint then,' she said bluntly.

Black pouted. 'Pleeeeease.'

'No.'

'I'll guess I'll just have to ask someone else then.'

Flo rolled her eyes once again and turned back around.

'Tarrin.' Sirius whispered to a Slytherin girl sitting on a desk next to him, with no one beside her. The girl looked up, shocked that Sirius Black, the boy that everybody and their sister already fancied, knew her name. Out of the corner of her eyes, Flo could see that she was very pretty, with honey blonde hair and blue eyes.

'Yes?' she asked expectedly.

Black flashed her a grin. 'What did Slughorn say to Alice Allen?'

'Oh! "Those that break a family's house tradition are usually those that leave the largest impact on history"' She recited, smiling at him.

'I wonder if that's true. What do you think, Rosier? Do I look like I'll make an impact on history?'

'You couldn't make an impact on dirt.'

Black opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out.

'Trying to catch flies, Black?'

He quickly shut his mouth.

'Lily Evans.' Slughorn's voice interrupted their riveting conversation.

Potter, who had been watching them like a tennis match, turned all his attention towards Lily. Flo did too, turning around to smile at her friend as she stood up. Lily smiled back, trying to disguise the pained expression on her face. 'I like playing with my sister, sir.'

Flo looked down. Lily had told her a little about Petunia, and Severus, early in the morning. She remembered what her sister had said to her the last time they had seen each other, and Flo squeezed her friend's hand.

Lily looked down, grateful for her support.

.•° ✿ °•.

The next few people seemed to drag on forever. Flo tried to concentrate, but eventually, she gave in and dragged her book to her lap and began to read. She did listen to some students though.

'My favourite food is chocolate.' Remus said before sitting down, not waiting for Slughorn to even nod.

When the professor called Mary's name, her look of quiet confidence Flo had grown accustomed to seeing, disappeared. 'I-er. I...'

'Something about yourself?'

'I know.' Then, seemingly due to Slughorn's underestimation of her, Mary's confidence returned.

'I like horse-riding.'

'Horse-riding?' Slughorn questioned. 'As in, riding those creatures muggles use to travel?'

'Yes. My horse's name is Popcorn.' She sat down.

Flo and Lily exchanged surprised looks. Mary must have been very wealthy.

When Peter had told the class that he liked taking care of the flowers in his garden with his mother, the whole class burst into laughter. His face turned bright red, and he slumped back into his chair.

Flo frowned. Turning to Lily, she saw the same expression on her friend's face.

Reluctantly, the girls looked behind them. The two boys, who had been laughing alongside the rest of the class, quickly shut their mouths when they faced them, and their expressions turned grave.

'We should sort this lot out,' James said, and Sirius nodded. 'Just us a sec, Rosier.'

When is he going to stop calling me that, Flo thought, as the boys stood on their table.

'Oi!'

The class looked up.

'Shut it!'

At Sirius's order, they did.

'Thank you, Mr. Black and Mr. Potter, now please, return to your chair,' a stressed-out Slughorn cried.

The boys hopped back into their seats, as the Professor continued. 'Let us return to our activity, with less discussion in between each person, please. James Potter.'

Potter sent a grin Lily's way, then stood up to talk to Professor Slughorn. 'I like flying sir. And Quidditch.'

He looked back at Lily, expecting her to be impressed.

But Lily, who had only learned that wizards flew on broomsticks that morning, and had no idea what 'Quidditch' was, looked back blankly.

'Quidditch? And are you any good?'

'My dad says I'm the best out of the families we play with,' Potter said not-so-modestly.

'And your father is Fleamont Potter, is he not?'

'He is.'

'The inventor of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion?'

'He is.'

'And do y-'

'I don't get what this has to do with Quidditch sir.'

'Oh. Of course m'boy. Moving on, Winona Quotes.'

Keeping her eyes on her book, Flo raised her eyebrows. Potter may not have been afraid of boasting, but of only things he had achieved himself. It seemed that he wasn't a complete moron, and did have the rare redeeming quality.

Flo started to get lost in her book again, when a certain name pulled her back out.

'Araminta Rosier,'

'You can call me Minty sir,' the dark-haired girl said as she stood up.

'Alright Minty, tell me something about yourself.'

'Potions is my favourite subject.' 'Minty' said, batting her eyelashes.

Slughorn grinned. 'What makes you say that? You haven't had any other classes yet!' He chuckled as he said it.

'Oh, I can just tell sir. You're such an incredible teacher.'

Flo rolled her eyes as Minty continued to lay on the flattery, but decided to focus on her book.

'Florence Rosier.'

Lily turned to her friend.

'Florence.' Slughorn continued.

She nudged Flo.

'Hmm?' She looked up to realise the entire class was watching her. 'Oh.'

'It seems as if Mr. Black isn't the only one who should be paying attention.'

Professor Slughorn meant it well, but when the girl he directed it towards turned red, he felt a little guilty.

'I'm sorry sir. I like...err... reading,' Flo looked down at her book as she said it.

'I can see that,' Slughorn chuckled. 'What book is it?'

'Pardon me?'

'What book are you so interested in that you couldn't hear me?'

'Pride and Prejudice, sir,'

'Jane Austen? In first-year?'

Flo slowly nodded, wondering if she had done something wrong.

'Fantastic my dear.'

Flo gave him a small smile. 'Thank you.'

But her smile quickly disappeared when he said, 'Two Rosiers in one class, aye?'

Flo thought about correcting his use of the wrong last name, but decided against it. 'Mmmm.'

'Well, then I hope you two won't distract each other too much. And don't let that book distract you either. Severus Snape.'

As Flo sat down, she watched the boy who stood up. Lily had originally planned on sitting next him, but when the girls walked into the classroom, he was already sitting next to a fellow Slytherin boy, and would not meet Lily's eye.

Severus opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He looked around and finally caught Lily's eye.

Lily stared back, and bit her lip.

They stayed like that while Severus spoke.

'I like magic.'

'Just...magic?'

The boy nodded.

'Like in general? Or is there a specific type?'

'Yeah, there is.'

'Which is...?'

'Lots of different types.'

Slughorn shook his head in befuddlement. 'Alright then Mr. Snape.'


	8. Herbology, Charms, and Lunch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if anyone has any (possibly funny) chapter name recommendations, (for any of the chapters) please tell me, cuz i suck at coming up with them.

As they walked from the castle, Lily took control of the conversation, discussing how much she had loved Potions, and went on and on about the 'subtle science' and 'exact art' of it.

When the Greenhouses finally came in sight, Alice started to skip.

Then she stopped.

The girls stopped.

They looked at her.

She looked at them.

And they ran.

'WOOOHOOO!' they all shouted, racing each other down the hill.

As they neared the Greenhouses, the boys, who had been much farther up the hill, finally caught up with them.

'C'mon boys, let's beat 'em!' Sirius called out.

So Flo sped up. She ran with all her might, but Black was fast.

'Hello Rosier,' he smiled and looked to his side as he ran alongside her.

But she ignored him and continued to speed up.

Sirius watched her, dark eyes looking ahead, and dark hair whipping behind her. Her dark skin glowed in the sunlight. He took a quick breath in.

Taking advantage of Sirius's brief delay, the reason of which was unknown to Flo, she cut him off.

She reached out her hand, nearly at the glass wall, and finally, she slammed into it.

'I WON!' She shouted, running a victory lap around the rest of the contestants, and they each bowed as she ran past.

She came back up to Sirius, who got down on his knees and hailed her.

Flo rolled her eyes, but secretly, she was pleased.

'I guess there's a reason they call you the Runaway after all,' Sirius said as he stood.

'Shut up Black.' Flo giggled, turning to her left.

The Hufflepuff first-years stared at the running party, eyes and mouths open wide.

'What a bunch of Gryffindors.'

.•° ✿ °•.

'That was everything I thought it would be!' Alice squealed, skipping back up the hill. 'The plants? Did you see the Devil's Snare? And Professor Sprout's so nice. I can't believe she gave me fifteen points for knowing what fungi meant! But did you see the Devil's Snare?!'

'Yes Alice, it looked very interesting.' Flo didn't exactly understand Alice's obsession with Herbology. But anything that made her friend happy made her happy.

'Some of those Hufflepuffs were awfully stuck up though,' Mary said.

'Most of them were so nice!' Alice protested.

'Most of them were so boring, I think you mean.'

As the two girls continued to bicker on the virtue of the Hufflepuff, Lily and Flo started to have their own conversation.

'Those boys cannot shut up, can they?' Lily offered.

'Could barely hear what Sprout was saying over their antics.'

When they finally reached the castle, Mary turned to Lily.

'What's next?' she asked.

'Charms.'

'That sounds awful!' Mary cried.

.•° ✿ °•.

Much to Mary's annoyance, she loved Charms.

'How is this ever going to help us in the real world?' Mary said, as she finished the essay that was due next week, by the time lunch rolled around.

'Lots of jobs require Charms, Mar.'

'Seems like a bunch of frilly nonsense to me.' Mary huffed.

The girls sat down at the Gryffindor table. 'But err...what jobs would those be?'

Flo raised her eyebrows.

'Not that I'm interested for myself,' Mary quickly continued.

As Flo described a few of the jobs she knew required Charms, Lily looked across the Hall at the Slytherin table.

Severus was looking down at a book, struggling to make his fork into his mouth.

Feeling eyes on him, he looked up.

He gave Lily a small smile, which she returned. He flicked his head towards the door, eyebrows raised. She nodded.

'I'll be back in a sec,' Lily said to the girls.

Flo watched her walk towards the door. Realising someone was looking at her, she met the silver-gray eyes with her own golden-brown.

He winked at her.

Sighing, she turned back to her friends. 'What do we have next?'

'Defence Against the Dark Arts, I think,' Mary replied. 'Lily was right, that is a long name.'

.•° ✿ °•.

'Look, over there.'

'Where?'

'Next to the girl with the dark red hair.'

'The curly-haired one?'

'Yeah. Her mum shagged a muggle, then ran off to Ireland when her parents found out.'

'They call her the Rosier Runaway.'

Whispers followed Flo as she walked to DADA, which is what the girls had finally resolved to call it, but only after Mary made a 'Daddy' joke. 

Only two people in Hogwarts were more annoyed by these whisperings than Flo.

'Oi, Runaway.'

Flo gave a quick glance behind her, which revealed a group of Slytherin boys following a boy that vaguely resembled herself. But she decided to ignore them, and continued walking.

'Why do they keep calling you Rosier?'

Without looking behind her, Flo spoke up. 'I assure you, Felix, I despise it as much as you do. This is my first time meeting you, and I already want it to be the last.'

'Why would I want to meet you? Daughter of a muggle.'

Flo looked at the recently reunited Lily, who was in a much better mood, and rolled her eyes.

'And a whore.'

At this, Flo whipped out her wand and turned around.

'What did you just say?' she growled.

The smirk on Felix Rosier's face flickered, and his eyes turned fearful. Then, remembering he was surrounded by friends and supposed to be intimidating, he scowled.

He pulled out his own wand, as did the rest of the Slytherin boys around him, but Flo stood her ground.

'You don't want to mess with us Runaway. There's five of us,' said Felix.

'You're right. Get five more of you and it might be an even duel.'

A boy to Felix's left snarled. 'You're a first-year.'

'And you're a bunch of useless second-years.'

Flo's friends, who up to this point had watched the altercation with amusement, suddenly realised that it was getting serious.

'Flo?' Alice whispered.

Flo's features softened as she turned to her friend. 'Yes Ali?'

'We should probably go to class.'

'But-' Flo looked at her other friends' faces.

'Let's leave these losers, Floss,' Lily said.

The boys watched the girls with hesitation, then turned to Felix, clearly their leader.

'That's right. Run away, Runaway.'

So Flo did just that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy valentines day!!! if ur alone, no youre not. im ur valentine now <3


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